Should I try a carb sensitive diet?

PBJunky

Yes you should. It was also recommended to me by my doctor. Carbs turn into sugar..and sugar should be avoided. Good luck with your results!

Sorry... I don't mean to pick on you, but I hate misconceptions like this and hate it more when these misconceptions are spread. Carbs turn into sugar? Yes, yes they do. But that doesn't mean they should be avoided. There is NOTHING harmful about a diet with healthy complex carbs (and even the occasional simple carb like fructose and sucrose). Glucose (a sugar) is essential to life. It feeds into the KREB cycle to produce ATP. We use ATP as our energy source for just about everything. Yes, you're bodies can convert alternative nutrients (proteins, fats) into fuel, but no matter how hard you try, you're not going to escape the simple fact that you need glucose to live. Brains especially love glucose. I'm only partly joking about that. Neurons have a hard time with alternative fuels. They can make due with ketones, but they'd really rather have glucose.

Please don't mistake this for me advocating against a low carb diet. Low carb diets have their place. But to say carbs= sugar and that sugar should be avoided is irresponsible.

You agree that carb turn into a sugar? *facepalm*

TeeA86

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In my opinion, you shouldn't go low-carb until you do more research than just asking folks on myfitnesspal.

There are advantages and disadvantages to a low-carb diet. You should know exactly what you're getting into- the whole look before you leap thing.

I recommend doing your homework. I recently read this: http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/ (I hope the author doesn't mind me pointing people to it) and found it to be very helpful. You can also spend a little time on http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ if you want to get the latest scientific info on low-carb diets (and as I said, there are advantages to it). But you shouldn't make the decision lightly.

Best wishes to you.
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Thanks. I just read one website from another's post about carbs. It was very interesting. I will also read the links you just posted. I think I have some other things I should work on before pointing the finger at the carbs. Thanks again.

TeeA86

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Simple:

- Workout 3 times a week with weights.
- Eat 1g protein / lb lean body mass.
- Reduce calories to lose 1-2 lbs / week.
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Does sound simple enough.... Thanks again.

shakybabe

Since I went gluten free/low carb I lost about 9 lbs in just over a month and it took me the first 4 months to lose the first 9lbs before this just on diet but still eating bread, rice etc.

I replaced regular bread with gluten free bread but I only have it once or twice a week instead of daily. every so often I allow carbs for a change but find if I have strict diet the day before and after I don't pile loads of water weight on from allowing a jacket potato mid week or chips at weekend. I've still lost18lbs total.

Also I do more exercise on the days that I'm allowing carbs so I have lots of 'spare calories'.

Try it for a short period and see if it makes any difference? for most meals I replace potatoes with butternut squash, allow sweet potato once a week, use cauliflower whizzed up to rice or cous cous size and steam in microwave in place of these, swede/carrot mash instead of mashed potato, parsnip chips etc.

TeeA86

If you just started a month ago, give it more time. the weight will come off slowly but its better for maintenance in the long run.

Thanks. I know you are right..... but I am just ready to see the results. Needing to work on my patience.

TeeA86

Since I went gluten free/low carb I lost about 9 lbs in just over a month and it took me the first 4 months to lose the first 9lbs before this just on diet but still eating bread, rice etc.

I replaced regular bread with gluten free bread but I only have it once or twice a week instead of daily. every so often I allow carbs for a change but find if I have strict diet the day before and after I don't pile loads of water weight on from allowing a jacket potato mid week or chips at weekend. I've still lost18lbs total.

Also I do more exercise on the days that I'm allowing carbs so I have lots of 'spare calories'.

Try it for a short period and see if it makes any difference? for most meals I replace potatoes with butternut squash, allow sweet potato once a week, use cauliflower whizzed up to rice or cous cous size and steam in microwave in place of these, swede/carrot mash instead of mashed potato, parsnip chips etc.

Thanks. Those all sound like good ideas.

LabRat529

You agree that carb turn into a sugar? *facepalm*

I'm using 'sugar' loosely and in a biochemical sense... as in glucose, fructose, galactose, ribose, dioxyribose, and so on. They're all sugars.

I even think of glycogen and cellulose as 'sugar' though technically, they are complex branching chain of sugar (glucose). We can break down one, but not the other.

But you're right! I should have mentioned that while all sugars are carbs, not all carbs are sugars... although I've got to admit I can't think of a carb right now that isn't made of sugars. I'm sure they exist... I just can't think of one at the moment.